Castro still too ill to chair NAM summit

HAVANA: Cuban leader Fidel Castro is recovering but still too ill to chair a summit of the Non-Aligned Movement of developing nations, Cuba's foreign minister said on Friday, meaning a much anticipated public appearance at the meeting is unlikely. 

"His health is improving continuously and his convalescence is satisfactory ... but the doctors have insisted that he continue resting, and thus he will not lead the Cuban delegation at the summit," Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque told the summit.

Castro's state of health has loomed at the summit at which Iran and other prominent opponents of US policy are seeking to forge a united front.

State television showed Castro, 80, standing up briefly to greet friend and ally Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan president, on Thursday. Chavez said later Castro was walking and singing.

Castro also met UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan late on Thursday. Chavez had earlier played down the importance of Castro's presence. "Even if he is not physically among us today or tomorrow, that doesn't matter. He is running all this," he said.

To some, the summit could appear a rogue's gallery of US foes, including Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and leaders from North Korea, Zimbabwe, Venezuela and Bolivia, all gathering on an island under a US embargo since 1962.

Washington was eager to play down such associations, pointing out the summit also included countries such as Pakistan, India, the Philippines and Indonesia that have forged closer alliances with the United States since the Sept. 11 attacks.